


The Night We Met

by cheshirek0ala, mintg_ (cheshirek0ala)



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst, Minayeon, The Night We Met, highschool, twice
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25932778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirek0ala/pseuds/cheshirek0ala, https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheshirek0ala/pseuds/mintg_
Summary: Mina has always done what was asked of her, she didn't mind to be told what to do..... until she met a beautiful stranger one night.
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, Myoui Mina/Yoo Jeongyeon
Comments: 19
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome! This is my first attempt to write a multi-chapter fic. Idk what I'm doing so I hope you could bear with me. lmao

**Chapter 1: look at the stars (look how they shine for you)**

Mina has been staring out of her window for God knows how long, absent-mindlessly tracing a pattern connecting the stars until she hears a voice that distracts her from her thoughts.

“Andromeda”

Mina jerked her head, mildly shocked, only to find ~~a gorgeous~~ an unfamiliar woman in a short black suit dress with mesh sleeves and high heels leaning on her bookshelf holding a book, her book, with a ~~beautiful~~ stoic expression on her face. Mina was about to say something but then

“the constellation you were tracing is called Andromeda… “

the unfamiliar woman continued and proceeded to reading the said book out loud

“Andromeda is one of the Greek constellations. It was named after Andromeda, the daughter of Cassiopeia and Cepheus in Greek mythology, who was chained and left for the sea monster Cetus to eat, and then saved by—“

“Perseus” Mina interrupted. “Andromeda was sacrificed to Cetus to appease the gods and stop the monster from ravaging her land. Cetus was sent by the god Poseidon after Cassiopeia had boasted that she was more beautiful than the nymphs.”

The unfamiliar woman looked up from the book she was reading to the woman in a white lace dress sitting in front of the window gazing at her and let out a low whistle.

“Wow, you definitely know your stars” she said with a smirk plastered on her face.

“Yeah, well. I like to read.” Mina answered quietly, her eyes not leaving the stranger.

“I can see that…” the unfamiliar woman responded as she went ahead touching each of Mina’s books on the shelf, scanning, inspecting as if it was hers.

“Do you like to read?” Mina asked as she curiously watched this stranger pull out a book and lift its pages.

“Not much.” The stranger answered with a shrug as she continued on skimming the book.

“I’m Myoui Mina. Nice to meet you—uhh..” Mina paused waiting for the stranger to fill in her sentence only to be disappointed.

“Yeah, I figured you’re Myoui Mina” the stranger responded with an unreadable expression on her face.

“Okay….. so do you have a name? Or an explanation as to why you’re in my room?” Mina said finally, calmly with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

The unfamiliar woman shifts her weight from side to side as she scratches the back of her head “Oh right. Yeah. I’m here because apparently I have to attend this party, which I assume your parents organized. So, yeah.”

“Alright…” Mina let out a deep sigh and held her index finger up as she spoke.

“First of all, what you said didn’t exactly answer any of my questions. Second, I know everyone who’s invited to my parents’ party and I have never seen you before. And third, if you’re really invited then I’d have you know that the venue is downstairs.”

Mina finished with now three fingers held in the air, a shadow of irritation already evident in her eyes.

The unfamiliar woman raised her eyebrows before breaking out into a peal of laughter and as if that wasn’t enough she then flashed a bright smile exposing her cute bunny teeth making Mina almost forget about the brewing annoyance in her chest. Almost.

“Hey! Excuse me, What’s so funny??” Mina asked with a pinched expression, raising her voice.

Mina is a calm and patient person, almost too patient if you ask anybody who knows her but apparently, not so much tonight.

Tonight, she seems rather impatient. Impatient to find out about this ~~intriguing woman with a beautiful smile and an endearing laugh who barges in her room and in her thoughts by talking about the stars~~ creepy stranger who trespasses her room and picks up her books and won’t answer any of her questions.

She is not intrigued, she is just being vigilant, and that’s why she’s suddenly so curious. Or so she tells herself.

“Okay, I’m sorry..” The stranger said holding her arms up implying surrender, shaking her head while stifling another laugh.

“You don’t get angry or annoyed often, do you? Or at least you’ve always been good at hiding it? I just can tell, your face isn’t cut out for frowning.. it's too pretty to be considered a frown. Maybe if you knit your eyebrows some more—“

The owner of the bedroom suddenly felt like flames were on her chest, crawling to her neck and face..

“Are you trying to flirt with me?” she asked.

“Do you want me to?” the stranger responded with a sly smile.

“Oh my god.. has anyone told you how draining it is to talk to you?” Mina whispers in defeat.

“Well, I’ve been told a couple of times” the stranger replies matter of factly, almost looking proud.

The room was suddenly quiet as they stared at each other as if it were a contest and both of them are extremely competitive.

“Fine.. I’m not much of a people’s person and I was looking for a place to hide in and your bedroom door was slightly ajar, you must’ve forgotten to close it properly. And so I went in and here we are.” The stranger offered as an explanation.

Mina didn’t respond this time and continued on staring at her seemingly unsatisfied so she took it as a signal to keep on talking.

“And by the looks of it, you seem to be hiding here as well. Not a people’s person either, huh?” she finished.

“I’m not hiding. I’m just..” Mina paused and she shifted her stare back to the night sky as she fidgets with her fingers. “I’m just resting. I’m going back there in a while. I have to.”

The mood in the room suddenly felt heavier than it was just seconds ago which made the stranger a little lost for words. 

Her feet seemed like it had grown its own brain because suddenly she found herself approaching Mina who is still sitting by the window, now quiet, looking like she’s immersed in her own thoughts. 

The night sky was picturesque, the stranger thought to herself. A black to navy gradient that accentuates the alloy-silver full moon. A silver beam of moonlight walked into the window in pristine silence and led her eyes to the woman whose face contains the stars. 

The night sky is magnificent but it doesn’t match the beauty that is the woman sitting quietly beside her.

The stranger caught herself studying Mina’s eyes. They say the eyes are windows to the soul and the woman in the black dress found herself desperately wanting to have a peek. 

Mina’s eyes remind her of chocolate melting in the heat; soft, sweet and warm. But as the object of her gaze looked back she noticed it; there was something solemn swimming in her pair of orbs.

The stunning, deep brown held a truth that her face can hide. The melancholy that they convey looked so familiar that it made her heart break and so she looked away. 

She doesn’t really know this girl but she couldn’t bear seeing the hint of sadness in her eyes, she just has to do something, anything. 

She took a deep breath and displayed the biggest smile she could muster.

“Cool window! Does it open?” the stranger asked as she examined it.

“Yup. You just have to unlatch them and then push.”

“Awesome. Shall we?” the stranger said as she unlatched the lock and pushed the window as wide as she could.

“Shall we what?” Mina replied with a confused look on her face.

“Bail. Let’s go!” said the stranger casually as if suggesting to Mina to exit through her own bedroom window is the most natural thing to do.

“Huh? What? What do you mean let’s go? No! ” Mina responded, obviously caught off guard by the sudden proposition.

“Why not? We both don’t wanna be in that lame-ass, no offense, party anyway. I mean, that’s the whole reason we’re hiding out in this room, right? C’mon, let’s go Princess!”

Mina’s eyes widen and her mouth falls open, this stranger is being completely ridiculous.

“Where will we even go? It's late and it's Sunday, there’s nowhere to bail to in this town. The “24 hour”” she air quoted “...convenience store just closed 15 mins ago.” Mina explained animatedly pointing at the wall clock.

“So? Then let’s just walk around or maybe sit on a bench and stare at our feet. There are endless possibilities out there, Princess. C’mon! Do you not trust me?” the stranger whined.

Mina rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Of course, I don’t. I don’t even know what to call you.”

“Perseus.”

“Huh?”

“Just call me, Perseus.” the stranger suggested beaming a big smile.

Mina bursts out laughing. “Perseus? Really?” she shakes her head in disbelief.

“Yes! I’m more of a Cassiopeia really, if you ask me. Cause I mean, look at me..”

The stranger waved her hand from her head to her toe like she’s a masterpiece to behold. 

“I’m totally more gorgeous than those nymphs or whatever. But tonight, I’d rather be Perseus, your Perseus.

And save you from tonight’s catastrophe.” she smiled as her eyes conveyed what seemed to be sincerity and gentleness. 

“So, Princess, shall we?” the stranger extended her hand to Mina waiting for her answer.

Mina looked at the stranger’s hand and then to the stranger’s face and back to her hand.

“You do realise that this is a horrible idea, right? Spontaneity is stupid.” she said with an intense look on her face.

“Does this mean you’d rather go back to that party and be metaphorically eaten by Cetus instead? Your choice, princess.” the stranger shrugged. 

Mina is a very cautious person. She likes to plan and prefers to know what’s coming ahead. She isn’t really adventurous and she doesn’t get impulsive.

She is sensible and rational and spontaneity isn’t something that she sits well with. Myoui Mina is not a rule breaker. It's just not how she was raised.

But tonight is different. She is different.

It's maybe because the moon is full or maybe she is somehow possessed, she doesn’t really know, or maybe she does, but doesn’t want to admit. 

“I must have gone crazy.” she mentally yelled at herself.

One second she was staring in disbelief at this ridiculous stranger, listening to her foolish idea and now she has thrown her heels out,

following the woman in a black dress as they both climb down her own bedroom window as silent as possible. 

“So, Perseus, what now? Which way do we go?” she asked the stranger expectantly when they both reached the ground.

“Where do you wanna go, princess?”

“Anywhere.”

“Then it doesn’t matter which way we go. We’ll get there. Let’s go!” 

The stranger once again offered her hand. 

Mina should feel anxious. She is being reckless. She just allowed herself to be convinced by a complete stranger to ditch her family’s party by jumping out the window. 

But instead, she felt inner calm within her and finally she feels like she is able to breathe again. She looked up to the heavens and her heart burst like the stars do.

The stranger gazed at her in awe as she lit the universe with her glow.

In this moment, Mina feels free as the stardusts that fall from the sky and her heart didn’t ache as much anymore.

“Let’s go!” she responded enthusiastically, taking the stranger’s hand in her own.

And they ran. 

  
  
  



	2. why aren't you looking at me?  (look at me, look at me)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still don't know what I'm doing. But I enjoyed writing so I guess I'd just have to hope that you'd enjoy reading lmao

**Chapter 2: why aren’t you looking at me?**

**(look at me, look at me)**

“Mi-taaaaaaaaang! I have missed you!”

A loud whining sound welcomed Mina as she got off from her car to the school’s parking lot. 

As she turned her head to the direction of the sound she saw two tall women. 

One has dark brown hair in a bob cut and a charming smile that turns her eyes into a crescent shape as she waved at Mina and the other woman has long blonde hair and she’s running towards her with a huge grin, her arms wide open. 

Mina returned the smiles and gave a little wave before she braced herself for impact as one of these ladies enveloped her in a big bear hug. 

“Mitang! Are you not feeling okay? You’re late today, you’re never late.” the blonde woman asked, now with a worried look on her face.

“I’m okay, Satang! You’re overacting. I still have 20 minutes before the first bell.” she answered with an endearing smile.

“But I arrived here before you and that has never happened before!

So, are you sure everything’s fine with you?

Spill the tea, Myoui! Jeongyeon, back me up!” the blonde woman responded while leaning her head towards Mina’s face, intentionally staring without blinking. 

Mina couldn’t help but laugh at the blonde woman’s silliness.

“ _My best friend is such a weirdo, but a charming one.”_ she thought to herself. 

“Sana, stop being weird. I told you, I’m okay. I just overslept a little, it's not a big deal. And Jeongyeon is not insane unlike you so don’t drag her into this. She--”

“Yeah, Mina. Are you sure you’re okay? Jeongyeon interjected.

“I mean, you even bailed at your parents’ party….” she continued.

“Minatozaki Sana! You told her? I asked you not to tell anybody!”

Mina whispered loudly to Sana’s direction, her eyes wide. 

“Not everything. I excluded the Perseus part.” Sana mouthed so that Mina will be the only one to catch it.

“You texted me saying: Don’t tell anybody. I’m bailing. Not coming back to the party. Cover for me. I replied, asking what am I gonna tell your parents but I got no response! What was I supposed to do?” Sana retorted. 

She breathed in deeply putting both of her hands to her temples.

“And Darling, if you haven’t noticed, your parents are super cold and scary. I love you and I’d do anything for you but I didn’t wanna die yet so I asked for Jeong’s help.

Plus, she isn’t just “anybody”, especially to your parents, they really like her.

Just be proud of me, I hit two birds with one bone; I got you covered and I got to keep my life.” she whisper-shouted back.

“Fine! Thank you and I love you too. And also, it’s stone.”

“Huh?” Sana asked, her head tilting to the side.

“The saying is Hitting two birds with one stone. Not bone.” Mina explained.

“Whatever, Ms. Smarty pants. To-mey-to, po-tah-to.” Sana muttered, sticking her tongue out in a playful manner. 

“It’s To-mey-to, To-ma--” Mina was about to correct her again but just decided against it. “You know what, nevermind.”

“Both of you, stop with the loud whispering. I’m right here and I can totally hear you both.

And as much as I’d love to stand here and listen to the two of you banter until you get to the part where Mina explains where she went and what she did that night, I gotta get going.

I promised Jihyo I’ll take care of the transfer student today. So, see you both in class!” Jeongyeon interjects.

As Jeongyeon started hurriedly walking towards their building, she stopped mid-step and turned around.

“Oh, Mina. I almost forgot. Here.”

She extended her hand that held a paper bag towards Mina.

“ What’s this?” she asked curiously as she took the paper bag from Jeongyeon’s hand. 

“Uh, It’s cookies. My mom bought a lot and I remembered how much you like them. Eat it well!”

Jeongyeon replied, her cheeks blushing, one foot tapping the ground and her hand scratching the back of her head. 

“Wow, thanks Jeongyeonie! I will enjoy it!” Mina smiled.

Jeongyeon smiled one last time before running towards her destination. 

Mina turned her head and saw Sana showing off an exaggerated pout.

“Why do you get cookies and I don’t? Jeongie is only nice to you.” Sana whined.

Mina laughed at how adorable her best friend could be when she’s being pouty. 

“Don’t worry, we’ll share it.” she cooed.

Sana’s face suddenly lightened up, no longer pouting and all smiles.

She took Mina’s hands in her and started walking to class.

“Darling, you really are the best!” she mutters with a giggle. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


***

  
  


When Jeongyeon reached the principal’s office’s lobby, she was welcomed by Ms. Choi, the principal’s secretary.

“Hello, Yoo Jeongyeon! Principal Ahn has been waiting for you. He’s already inside, talking to the transferee student.” Ms. Choi greets her with a smile.

“Good morning, Ms. Choi!” she greeted back. “Should I just wait here until they finish talking?”

“No, the principal asked me to send you inside as soon as you get here so just get in there.”

Jeongyeon obliged. She knocked at the door three times but she couldn’t hear a response so she just went ahead and opened the door.

“--so your files tell me that this is a case of forced transfer.

You were disciplined by your school because you kept breaking school rules.

As early as now, I’d like you to know that you can’t get away with things like that anymore. This school is not like your previous school.

This school has history, tradition and class. If you show any inappropriate behaviours, I will not hesitate to ask you to drop out.”

the principal blared in a firm and arrogant tone.

Jeongyeon watched as the transfer student looked up and stared intensely on the principal’s eyes before opening her mouth to speak.

“Can’t I just drop out now?” the transfer student said nonchalantly, her face devoid of any emotion. 

Principal Ahn froze, his posture stiffened, his muscles seemed rigid. His eyes squinting as if it's suddenly taking in more light than he can manage.

He opened his mouth to talk but words wouldn’t come out, he was speechless for a moment and then he was furious. 

His face was red. It looked like it was about to explode and before it did Jeongyeon decided it was time to cut in.

“Good morning, Principal Ahn! I hope I wasn’t late!” she beamed in the most casual smile she could muster.

The principal took in a deep breath before taking his eyes off the transfer student. 

“Ms. Yoo, I’m glad you’re here. Please take your new classmate with you and guide her.”

he replied and turned back to the transferee again,

“And you, follow Ms. Yoo she’s the class vice president and she’s gonna help you adjust in this school. And again, keep in mind, NO. SHADY. BUSINESS. I am watching you. Now, both of you get to class.”

***

Jeongyeon walks quietly with the transfer student by her side. Both of them looking straight ahead, no one uttering a word. 

Halfway through the hallway, Jeongyeon decided to break the silence and cleared her throat. 

“Hey. By the way, my name is Yoo Jeongyeon. We will be in the same class. It's nice to meet you.”

“Okay.” the transfer student responded after a few seconds.

_“Wow, she’s not chatty. She’s just probably in a bad mood after the thing with the principal. But still, she should at least introduce herself, it's the polite thing to do.”_ Jeongyeon remarked internally. 

“Anyway, I don’t mean to pry. It wasn’t intentional but I actually overheard your conversation with the principal.” 

She turned her head slightly and observed the transferee student’s face to gauge her reaction or the lack thereof before continuing.

“Getting on the principal’s nerves would only make your life here harder. So, just ignore him. There’s no need to say unnecessary things.”

The transfer student stopped on her tracks and released an exasperated sigh. She pressed her lips into a thin line and looked over at Jeongyeon who was too focused on expressing her thoughts. 

“We’re here.” she uttered as she pointed with her index finger.

“What?” Jeongyeon replied, obviously befuddled as she looked towards the direction the other woman was pointing at.

“We’re Class 3A, right?” the transfer student released another sigh.

“Oh, right. Yeah. I’m sorry. Please, wait here.”

  
  


*** 

  
  
  
  
  


Jeongyeon entered into a rowdy classroom. Almost everyone was preoccupied doing their own thing.

Some were chatting amongst themselves, some were playing mobile games, and the people in the back row seemed to have a dance battle going on.

She cleared her throat loudly.

“Hey! Everyone take their seats! Let’s settle down!”Jeongyeon commanded.

Everyone followed except for those two people in the back row who are still dance-battling with their headphones on, unaware of what’s happening around them.

Everyone respects Yoo Jeongyeon and acknowledges her authority as the vice president. But this is one of those moments when she wishes that Park Jihyo, the class president, weren't so busy with the student council.

Then she wouldn’t have to deal with these unruly people.

“Hey! Son Chaeyoung! Kim Dahyun! Take your seats, it’s time for the morning assembly!” Jeongyeon yelled but still went unheard.

A tall woman with a gorgeous, delicate feature and long dark-brown hair, grabbed an empty strawberry-milk carton on her desk and threw it at the dancing girls which finally caught their attention. 

“Yah! Chou Tzuyu! You distracted me. I was totally winning this battle!” the taller girl with pale skin and blue denim colored hair snapped.

“Shut up, Dubu! What do you mean you’re winning? I was obviously winning!

And Tzu, next time, if you’re gonna throw a strawberry-milk carton at me make sure it's not empty!” the small girl with a mushroom haircut responded with a pout exposing a cute dimple on her right cheek. 

Tzuyu rolled her eyes and shook her head in disapproval. “Whatever, dorks. Just pipe it down already and sit your asses down.” she replied coldly.

The two girls grumbled and acted annoyed but followed through and finally sat down making everyone in the classroom laugh. 

“Those two really like to act cool but everyone knows that they’re both babies in their own rights.” Sana whispered to Mina and they both chuckled.

“Now that everyone has settled down, I’ll be introducing the transfer student.”

Jeongyeon turned to the door and motioned for the transferee to come in. 

Mina was about to glance at the new student that was about to enter but at that instant she noticed an unfortunate event occurring in front of her that involved Sana’s open water bottle and her bag.

The transfer student dragged her feet from the doorway towards the classroom. She walked slowly looking straight ahead, her face showing no expression. She stopped just in front of the teacher’s table in the classroom.

“Woah.. hey! Hey! Hey! Mitang. The transfer student is hot. Not as hot as you-know-who but she’s a close second!” Sana tells Mina in a hushed voice as she continuously taps on her shoulder to get her attention.

“Knock it off, Sana! Your water has spilled all over my stuff.” she replied in a panicky tone, looking through her bag.

“I think my homework is all soggy… I’m so dead. Save me, Sana!” Mina whined looking up.

“Save you? How? I’m not--” 

“Perseus?” Mina said under her breath, her eyes now rests on the beautiful not-so-stranger in the middle of the classroom’s platform.

“I was going to say Einstein but okay.” Sana chided Mina who is no longer listening.

“Please introduce yourself.” Jeongyeon tells the transfer student.

“Hello, I’m Im Nayeon.” she stated with a stable voice and a slight bow. 

Everyone was silent waiting for her to surrender more details about herself but she just kept her mouth mum.

There was no point in letting these people get to know her anyway, she doesn’t plan on staying.

“What’s with her? Is that all?” Chaeyoung murmured from the back row.

“Hey! Hey! Im Nayeon! Let me ask you a question!” Dahyun exclaimed enthusiastically with her arm raised, her lips in a wide grin, her eyebrows wiggling as if she’s holding on to the most important question that ever existed.

Jeongyeon has been classmates with Kim Dahyun long enough to know that in situations like this one, there is nothing remotely close to sensible that will come out of her mouth.

“Dahyun-ah, just don’t.” 

The vice president almost answered too quickly which caused _everyone_ in the classroom to erupt in laughter and divert their attention to the now sulking pale girl.

Everyone, except Mina.

Mina’s attention was fixed on another person. A person who seemed utterly unamused with what’s going on around her. Mina studies ~~Perseus’~~ Im Nayeon’s eyes, it’s so familiar but quite different from what she could recall from the night they met. 

Nayeon’s eyes were giving off a glare that freezes Mina’s bones. It’s blank and dull in contrast with the warm, bright and playful eyes that she could still vividly visualise in her head.

In that moment, as if Nayeon sensed Mina’s gaze, she looked around searching in the crowd of faces not sure what she was looking for.

And then it happened, their eyes locked like magnets. 

Nayeon felt like the other girl was not looking at her so much as looking through her. It's as if her head was transparent and Mina was fascinated by some object that is placed inches behind her skull.

For a second, Nayeon decided to return the gaze. She could see wind-stirred waves in the other girl’s eyes. 

It was breathtaking. 

If she were brave enough, she would dive into their depths. But she was a coward, scared that if she lets herself, everything else would blur and she’d fall so deep that she would want to stay there, no matter what. 

She can't stay. She doesn't want to. 

And so, she urged herself to look away.

A voice distracts Nayeon from her thoughts,

“Can you tell us a bit more?”

She just shrugged at the vice president, implying that she doesn’t have much more to say other than her name.

The vice president gave her a tight smile in understanding and started speaking for Nayeon instead.

“She was from Geumdo Highschool. Nayeon had to move here because of her parents' work that’s why she transferred to our school. Let’s get to know her better later on-- ”

“It wasn’t because of my parents’ work.” Nayeon interjected.

“Then what was the reason?” Chaeyoung asked loudly, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“I moved here because--” 

“She’s new here so let us all help her out.” Jeongyeon cuts her off.

“She will sit..” she continued as she craned her neck looking for an empty seat to assign to Nayeon, pretending like she didn't know that the transfer student's eyes were locked on her.

Dahyun and Chaeyoung pointed energetically at the empty seat between them. Both wanting for their new classmate to sit there.

Someone abruptly opened the second door of the classroom “Sorry! I’m late again!”, a woman with straight black hair, bangs and chin-length layer emerged, sweaty and out of breath.

“Oh my God! Hirai Momo is even cuter when sweaty, Mitang.” Sana gushed breathlessly onto Mina’s ears which Mina responded to with a smile and a slight shake of her head. 

As Momo approaches the empty seat beside Tzuyu, Jeongyeon calls her attention and asked if she could sit in between Dahyun and Chaeyoung instead. 

Momo doesn’t look very thrilled with the idea of sitting in between the most talkative and possibly hyperactive duo but when she noticed the unfamiliar student standing beside Jeongyeon and realized that it was for her, she obliged anyway. 

Nayeon’s seat was located on the fourth row, third seat from the left and Mina is seated on the third row, first chair from the left, just beside the window.

As Nayeon walked towards her chair, Mina leaned to the left as subtle as she could to get into Nayeon's field of vision. And when she passed by her and sat without looking back, Mina then turned her head trying hard to catch the other girl's attention. 

Despite these efforts, Nayeon looked everywhere but at her. 

_“Maybe she doesn’t remember me anymore, it's been a week anyway. Who cares? I know someone who doesn’t, me. I don’t care, she’s a stranger anyway.”_ she thought to herself as she scribbles with heavy strokes on her notebook.

  
  
  


***

The bell that signals break time rang and all the students filed out to leave their classrooms. 

Momo approached Nayeon telling her that she is about to go to their class’ locker room and asked if she wanted help finding her locker.

Nayeon just shrugged, handing Momo a piece of paper that contains her locker number, which Momo took as a yes. 

Momo took her to a locker that was labeled 324. 

“Here you go. I helped you because you look like a bunny.” Momo mumbled and then she left, not waiting for Nayeon’s reply, not that she has a response for that anyway.

_"A bunny? That Momo girl is bizarre."_ she thought and for the first time that day, Nayeon almost laughed. 

She was organizing her things in her locker when some of her new classmates also came to do the same. 

Jeongyeon opened the locker adjacent to hers.

“You got a good locker spot.” she remarked, smiling. 

“You didn’t have to do that.” Nayeon answers as she continues in organising her locker.

“What?” 

“You said I transferred here because of my parents’ work, you know that wasn’t the reason.”

“You just seemed a bit awkward a while ago, I didn’t want you to be even more uncomfortable.” Jeongyeon countered.

“Yeah..but that doesn’t mean it's okay to lie about me.”

Jeongyeon clenched her fist so hard her knuckles turned white and she gritted her teeth as she convinced herself to just ignore Nayeon’s remark.

She has been patient with this transferee the whole day but Jeongyeon seemed to get more upset every time the other girl opened her mouth.

“Hey Perseus!” a familiar voice uttered from behind them. “We’re in the same class.” she declared casually as she opened her locker and stuffed the books she was done using. 

Both Nayeon and Jeongyeon stared at her back, not really giving any reaction.

Mina turned facing the two girls, “Hey! Don’t tell me you don’t remember me!” she directed at Nayeon with a voice uncharacteristically loud for her.

“The window, the constellations, the--”

  
  


“Andromeda” Nayeon replied with a tender look and a hint of a smile on her face.

“Yes. Andromeda… so, you remember me. That’s good.” Mina answers, trying to stop the blossoming smile from her lips. 

“Do you know each other?” Jeongyeon asked, looking back and forth from Mina to Nayeon, trying to steady her voice.

  
  


At the same time, both people in question turned away from each other and focused on their lockers avoiding Jeongyeon's scrutinizing eyes.

  
  


“Kind of.” Mina replies.

“Ah. Im Nayeon, Myoui Mina is our class’ study leader.”

“And she is also Yoo Jeongyeon’s girlfriend!” Dahyun butted in with a teasing tone.

Jeongyeon beamed at this remark. She gazed lovingly at Mina who had her back turned on them, still busy organising her stuff. 

She had never looked at anybody else but her. 

Mina is the only girl in her eyes.

So it was understandable that her face fell when Mina answered softly.

“C’mon, Dubu. You know it’s not like that between us. We’re just really close friends. Right, Jeongyeonie?” Mina looked at her, a sweet, innocent smile plastered on her lips.

Jeongyeon contorted her lips into an awkward, toothy smile, but her cheeks would not cooperate. She could feel their reluctance to be molded into something fake. 

“Mhm. We grew up together. Went to the same school since kindergarten.” she forced herself to say. 

“Girls, by the way, Nayeon has to join a group for the literature project. Right?”

Tzuyu reminded them.

“I’d let her join us but we have already finished and we’re submitting it today.”

“My group is already full, we can’t add one more..”

Jeongyeon scratched her head and took her phone out.

“I’ll ask Jihyo if she can find a group for Nayeon.”

“She can just join my group.” Mina said simply. 

“We’re one person short anyway since Jihyo already got exempted from this project. Pers-- I mean, Nayeon. I’ll tell you what you need to do later. And also, I need your phone number.” 

Mina passed a small notebook and a pen to Nayeon without making eye contact.

Nayeon understood and wrote on the notebook and then gave it back to Mina. 

Mina took it quickly and left hurriedly, afraid that someone would hear her heart beating too loudly.

Jeongyeon and Sana trailed behind her.

“Nayeon! You’re so lucky! You’re in the same group as Mina. She’s super good with these things. She's very thorough.” Chaeyoung blared with her two thumbs up as Dahyun dragged her away following Tzuyu.

Nayeon watches as Mina ~~walks~~ waddles hurriedly away from her with flushed cheeks. She just looks like a cute tiny penguin, she thought. 

And then something ~~amazing~~ weird happened, like the sun shining after a dark storm, Nayeon's face brightened and her lips curled into a big smile. 

She thinks about staying. 

  
  


"Yeah, I am very lucky." 

Nayeon whispered to no one but herself


	3. there may be something there (that wasn't there before)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, i went back to work so its pretty hard to do anything else but I'm back here w a short update. Attempting to write gives me so much stress relief so i hope y'alls enjoy this too hahaha

**Chapter 3: there may be something there (that wasn't there before)**

Jeongyeon drinks her coffee as she watches Mina mumble “What should I make her do” over and over to herself as she buries her nose on the stacks of paper in front of her with full concentration. 

Mina has already planned out everything regarding how she and Sana would go about the school project at hand but her ~~impulsive~~ decision to just take Nayeon in, kind of ruins the said plan. 

She had already revised a lot when Jihyo got exempted but now she has to adjust a lot of things again to accommodate Nayeon. 

It is not a big deal though, not something that the Myoui Mina can’t handle.

Right?

Wrong! 

Because even though she wouldn’t admit it, she is utterly freaking out. 

Not because of the revisions of her plans per se but because of how willing she was, no second thoughts whatsoever, to change a lot of things for someone she just “kind of” knows. 

“You’re too nice, Mina. You didn’t have to let her into your group. I could have just looked for another group for her to join so you won’t have to go through this unnecessary stress.” said Jeongyeon with concern in her voice.

Jeongyeon won’t say it out loud but she hates the idea of Nayeon being in the same group with Mina. The new girl seems to be a difficult person and radiates trouble all over her and if it were up to Jeongyeon, she would not let her near Mina.

“It’s okay, Jeong. You don’t really have enough time to find another group anyway. And also, I really want to do this.” 

Jeongyeon waits for Mina expectantly, hoping that there is still a continuation to her sentence.

“...b-because I’m the study leader and I feel like she’s my responsibility.” Mina finished, covering her face with a paper as she pretended to read.

“But didn’t your parents ask you for a higher grade in Literature? Is this really the time to be helping someone you barely know?”

Mina ranks 3rd in Literature in their entire batch but as usual, her parents aren’t satisfied. _Why settle on 3rd place when it's already so close to 1st place, that’s not very Myoui-like_ , her mom once told her. 

If you ask Mina, she thinks she is doing perfectly all right but it isn’t up to her and she ~~can’t disappoint~~ doesn’t like to disappoint her parents.

  
  
  


Mina abruptly stopped what she was doing and stretched her arms and neck upwards, closing her eyes, taking in a deep breath.

Jeongyeon rests her face on her palm as she lets her eyes settle on the other girl. 

Simply watching Mina makes her heart do a somersault that causes a smile to crawl to her face. 

The air around her grew thick with tenderness that made her breathe slower, deeper and happier. 

Suddenly, all of the love songs that say “you take my breath away” made sense to her. 

  
She was in deep reverie, her brown eyes are locked in trance to the person in front of her with intensity that makes looking away unthinkable.

She wonders how Mina does it. How she can make the most mundane things such as stretching so mesmerizing. 

Mina released a heavy sigh and shook her head before giving her childhood friend a huge smile, “Don’t worry. I’m fine. I got this!” she tells Jeongyeon.

_“Don’t worry. You’re fine. You got this!”_ she tells herself. 

“Mitaaaaaaang! I got you a lemonade!” 

Sana shouts sweetly as she approaches their table holding a cup of lemonade on her right hand and what Mina assumes as Strawberry-creme frappe with too much whip cream on the left.

She sat on Mina’s right side handing the other girl the cup of lemonade, picking up a stack of paper on the table and flipped through the files.

“Woah, Are you seriously considering revising this much on our project plan to accommodate the hottie?" Sana shoots Mina a shocked and questioning look. 

"How could you do this? What about me? Don’t you need to ask for my consent first before letting another person join OUR group?” the blonde girl at it again with her pouting and whining again. 

In truth, Sana doesn’t really mind that Mina is letting the transfer student join their group. She trusts Mina’s judgments and skills more than anyone. Plus, she’s really not in the position to decide about anything for their group when Mina’s really the one who’s been carrying the weight of the workload.

Sana tries her best to help but they both know that Literature is not her strongest suit. For those reasons, she knows she should not be complaining about anything but Sana being the way that she is, is not letting go of the opportunity to maybe score some cuddling and cooing from her best friend. 

So, she continues what she does best, she whines adorably.

The funny thing is, Mina knows Sana so well that the moment her best friend opened her mouth to complain, she knew exactly what her intentions were. And she doesn’t mind, in fact, she likes it even when Sana does this. It takes her mind off the things that heavily weigh on her head. 

Grateful for the distraction, she rides along .

Mina nods her head dramatically with a phony sad face, her forehead creased and her bottom lips jutted out stifling the budding mischievous smile on her lips. 

“Satang, you’re right. I’m sorry. What can I do to make it up to you?” Mina said in the saddest voice she could muster.

Sana, internally giddy for her success, leaned the left of her face towards Mina and tapped her cheeks multiple times with her index finger with a faux impatient expression, waiting for the other girl to comply with a kiss.

She felt her best friend move, so she closed her eyes in anticipation but instead of Mina’s lips, she felt moisture on her face that was starting to feel sticky. 

She faced the other girl only to find her giggling, pointing at her, whip cream on her finger.

“Yah! Mitang~” she groaned as she also dipped her finger on the whip cream to get even.

This ended with the two girls playing a messy game of wiping whip cream at each other’s faces while Jeongyeon pretends to be embarrassed for them.

The three girls were all laughing and teasing each other until Mina’s phone received a text notification.

Mina sighed after she finished reading the text. Apparently, her mom registered her to an additional tutoring session without consulting her first and she has to leave now if she wants to make it on time. 

Again, if it were up to her, she would rather spend her time enjoying and laughing with her two closest friends and just hang out worry free but it isn’t and Myoui Mina never disappoints her parents.

So she stood up, bidded her goodbyes and left. 

  
  
  


***

Mina stares and fidgets with the small notebook that contains the phone number of a certain someone, inattentive to whatever her tutor is saying regarding their lesson. 

“....so do you have any questions?” her tutor asked, looking at her expectantly.

“How long must I wait to call someone after I asked for their number?” Mina muttered quietly.

The tutor paused and studied Mina for a second. She looked dazed, almost like she wasn’t aware that she blurted out something. It was like her body was there but her mind is in some place else.

Mina is one of her best students, always focused and driven. There was never a session with her that she didn’t listen or participate, except today. 

The tutor figured that it must be because she is aware that Mina was registered in an additional class again without the poor kid's consent. The kid is doing well and deserves a break and she’s about to give it to her.

“Are you planning on asking your crush on a date?” the tutor asked teasingly.

Mina woke up from her reverie, realising what she just had said and she instantly wanted to kick herself for acting like a scatter-brain in front of the most sought-after tutor, Lee Sun Mi.

“Ye- I mean no.” she stuttered. “I mean, I just got my new classmate’s number and I’m just wondering when is the proper time to text her regarding our project since I told her she could join my group."

Sun Mi watched Mina blabber and stutter her way trying to convince her or maybe herself that she really is just trying to help a new student because she feels like it's her responsibility as the study leader.

The tutor smiles and thinks to herself of how nice it must be to be young and crushing on classmates. She felt a hint of nostalgia as Mina over-explains to her. 

“She’s that cute, huh?” she replied to her student with a knowing look and a teasing smirk on her face. 

Mina sighed in defeat and rested her head on her desk, not saying anything. Ms. Lee is being so ridiculous! Im Nayeon is not her crush and she doesn’t plan on asking her out. 

And also, she doesn’t think Im Nayeon is cute. “ _Not at all_ ” she thought to herself as the new girl’s smile suddenly appeared in her mind. Oh, cute doesn’t seem to be the right word to use, nor beautiful either. They don’t go far enough.

_Im Nayeon is not cute, she’s ethereal._

Mina jolted up from her seat, her eyes wide when she realised what she had been thinking about. _Oh no,_ she thought. She might be kinda sorta into the annoying new girl, what the hell is she gonna do now?

The tutor stared at her student who was obviously internally struggling with her thoughts so she decided to let go of her teasing and actually try to help. 

“Mina, I suggest you text her now. If it's really just for a project, then it's important that you get her started as soon as possible so she could have a lot of time to catch up with what you’re going to ask her to do.”

Mina nodded, a sign that she agrees. It's so silly of her to struggle over whether to text someone or not when it's just about a school project. Delaying it is definitely not helping anybody especially the new student so she takes out her phone and opens the small notebook she has been fidgeting with.

“Eh?!” Mina exclaimed as she turned to the page where Nayeon supposedly scribbled down her number.

There is no number written down, just a sentence and a doodle of a constellation that is all too familiar to Mina, the constellation of the Shackled Princess, Andromeda

_“I don’t give out my number to someone I just “kind of” know so try again next time, princess. ;)“_

Mina closed her eyes and attempted a deep calming breathing exercise. "What do I do with her?" she mutters under her breath as she stares at the scribbles on her notebook. 

***

Nayeon is sitting quietly at the bus stop contemplating whether to just go back to her house or to go someplace else. It's not like someone is waiting for her. 

Then she receives a text message from a certain "Godjilla" that says, " _are you home yet? "_. 

"Home" she read in a quiet voice, it is such a funny concept she ponders. She once read a quote that says "home is not a place. It's a feeling."

Following that logic, she wonders to herself how long has it been since she has become homeless. 

Her internal monologue was disturbed when a group of students wearing the same uniform as her suddenly crowded the bus stop. 

"Look at that girl on the bench. Isn't she the new student in class 3A? " one of the girls asked.

"I heard she was forced to leave her previous school because she's mean and violent." one of the other girls in the group answered, not even bothering to hush her voice. 

"oh my god, she's scary… Is that why she's alone? Doesn't she have any friends?"

"Let's just avoid her. She's bad news."

Nayeon felt a presence approaching on her right side but she kept her head down, acting unbothered by the conversation she is currently overhearing. 

As she was busying herself with her phone, a hand offering an earphone blocked her view. 

She looked up and saw a familiar face staring at her with a neutral expression. 

"No, thanks." Nayeon mumbled as she went back to pretending she's doing something worth focusing on on her phone. 

"Just take it, bunny girl.." the familiar girl replied as she proceeded to plug the earphone on the preoccupied girl's right ear. 

Nayeon waited for the music to fill her ear and so she was confused when it didn't.

"Hey, locker girl. I don't hear anything. This isn't working." she said looking up to Momo, her classmate who helped her find her locker during her first day. 

"On the contrary, bunny girl, it works quite well.." Momo responded with a proud smirk as she pulled onto the earphones' wire, revealing that it isn't plugged on anything.

"..people can yap away and you can convincingly pretend you can't hear them..

And also, if we share an earphone this way, you can pretend you're friends with me even though we aren't." she finished with a sweet smile. 

Nayeon looks away to hide her smile as they both bob their heads in sync following an imaginary rhythm as if both of them could hear it.

***

  
  
  



End file.
